Snakebite Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Seems to be mooted as a further addition to the NI and Welsh clubs from this year: From STV Quote Teams from the League of Ireland Premier Division could be participating in the Scottish Challenge Cup in the near future. STV understands approaches have been made to the league to invite their champions and runners up into the competition as early as next season. It is believed no response has yet been received by the Scottish Professional Football League. The new additions could see the likes of Cork City, Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United playing alongside teams in the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two. Dundalk have won the division for the last three years in a row and went on to qualify for this year's Europa League group stage, after being the first Irish team to have reached the Champions League play-off. The new proposal comes after Welsh and Northern Irish teams were introduced to the competition this season, with The New Saints (TNS) and Crusaders competing in the latter stages. Colts teams from the Scottish Premiership were also introduced as part of the radical changes to the cup competition. Queen of the South will play Dundee United in one semi-final next February with the winner facing St Mirren or TNS in March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Looks like the Atlantic League has finally arrived! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 6 minutes ago, Snakebite said: The new additions could see the likes of Cork City, Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United playing alongside teams in the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two. Surely that should say "...playing alongside teams from the Scottish Championship..." The way they have it, the ROI teams will be joining the actual league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundesliga Boy Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 7 minutes ago, GordonD said: Surely that should say "...playing alongside teams from the Scottish Championship..." The way they have it, the ROI teams will be joining the actual league. Yeah, you're spot on, or as STV would print - your spot on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Connolly Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Authorities determined to stop Hibs winning this competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girth Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Sevco fans will not be happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallo Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Get them in and punt the Colt teams out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 I am all for this. An opportunity to play different teams and to further freshen up a competition that was on its arse with poor attendances and irregular sponsorship. TNS are in with a chance to win it, Linfield coming in brought a decent support. The Welsh/NI teams have been a success to me, and I don't see how adding decent teams like Dundalk or the chance to play teams from cities like Dublin or Cork can be a bad thing for sponsors or general interest in the competition from supporters, especially with covering of travel expenses the clubs have little to lose financially, and possibly nothing. Its a yes from me. I don't understand the parochial attitude of it just being Scottish and nothing else. British jobs for British workers, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMccorquodale Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 4 minutes ago, Snakebite said: I am all for this. An opportunity to play different teams and to further freshen up a competition that was on its arse with poor attendances and irregular sponsorship. TNS are in with a chance to win it, Linfield coming in brought a decent support. The Welsh/NI teams have been a success to me, and I don't see how adding decent teams like Dundalk or the chance to play teams from cities like Dublin or Cork can be a bad thing for sponsors or general interest in the competition from supporters, especially with covering of travel expenses the clubs have little to lose financially, and possibly nothing. Its a yes from me. I don't understand the parochial attitude of it just being Scottish and nothing else. British jobs for British workers, IMO. It's a better idea than putting the colt teams in to be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 29 minutes ago, DavidMccorquodale said: It's a better idea than putting the colt teams in to be fair. Anything is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 1 hour ago, Snakebite said: I am all for this. An opportunity to play different teams and to further freshen up a competition that was on its arse with poor attendances and irregular sponsorship. TNS are in with a chance to win it, Linfield coming in brought a decent support. The Welsh/NI teams have been a success to me, and I don't see how adding decent teams like Dundalk or the chance to play teams from cities like Dublin or Cork can be a bad thing for sponsors or general interest in the competition from supporters, especially with covering of travel expenses the clubs have little to lose financially, and possibly nothing. Its a yes from me. I don't understand the parochial attitude of it just being Scottish and nothing else. British jobs for British workers, IMO. I didn't realise the Republic of Ireland had become British again. Certainly the competition was needing freshened up and the Welsh/NI teams did get far in it but they were parachuted in after many of our own teams had gone out which hardly makes it a Scottish Cup competition. Maybe they should be in the earlier stages. I await the day when Thistle are back in the "lower" divisions to experience your optimism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 f**k it - bring in the local cricket teams as well, and we can pretend it's some kind of satire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 1 minute ago, BigFatTabbyDave said: f**k it - bring in the local cricket teams as well, and we can pretend it's some kind of satire. Indeed and many of them have historical origins as cricket clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Doesn't bother me, its inevitable we will go down again one day. Very mysterious that an Airdrie fan would have an issue with Irish teams though, not,.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadgerTheBadger Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 A wee weekend in cork would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 1 hour ago, Chapelhall chap said: I didn't realise the Republic of Ireland had become British again. Certainly the competition was needing freshened up and the Welsh/NI teams did get far in it but they were parachuted in after many of our own teams had gone out which hardly makes it a Scottish Cup competition. Maybe they should be in the earlier stages. I await the day when Thistle are back in the "lower" divisions to experience your optimism. If your just chucking other sides from outside Scotland in it dosn't really matter if their British or not, their British isles so no worse for travelling. I would agree with you about them coming in a round or two earlier though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 1 hour ago, Snakebite said: Doesn't bother me, its inevitable we will go down again one day. Very mysterious that an Airdrie fan would have an issue with Irish teams though, not,.... I don't have an issue with Irish teams but you were the one who described them as British, which they might have an issue with. So no mystery there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 24 minutes ago, cowdenbeath said: If your just chucking other sides from outside Scotland in it dosn't really matter if their British or not, their British isles so no worse for travelling. I would agree with you about them coming in a round or two earlier though. I take your point about travelling but I did not agree with the expansion of a Scottish Competition to include teams from another league outwith Scotland. I wonder what the SFA would create by doing the same to the Scottish Cup? Chucking in just about sums up the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Just now, Chapelhall chap said: I take your point about travelling but I did not agree with the expansion of a Scottish Competition to include teams from another league outwith Scotland. I wonder what the SFA would create by doing the same to the Scottish Cup? Chucking in just about sums up the idea. The Challenge Cup had become stale a bit I suppose plus you had Premier Sports and SC4 coming aboard so more money I suppose, I would imagine ROI clubs would suit Premier. I would rather have them than under 20 sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 6 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said: I don't have an issue with Irish teams but you were the one who described them as British, which they might have an issue with. So no mystery there. Re-read my post ffs, where did I describe them as British!? Preventing these teams from coming in on the grounds of not being British is just weak as f**k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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